


the jar conundrum

by desitonystark



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Human Disaster Tony Stark, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Slash, vaguely based on real life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29433564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desitonystark/pseuds/desitonystark
Summary: Tony has a jar of nacho dip that stubbornly refuses to open.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 153





	the jar conundrum

**Author's Note:**

> based on [this prompt](https://ad1thi.tumblr.com/post/613859714272460800/so-i-know-im-in-just-my-underwear-and-its-5am), and my own absolute lack of an ability to open any jar of any sort. i found this on my tumblr and realised i'd never put it up on ao3, so here it is!!

Tony is tired, like the kind of tired that seeps into your bones and pulls you down until you can scarcely remember left from right. He’s also extremely hungry, which had led to the situation he’s currently in - attempting to burn off the jar on his nacho dip with a bunsen burner that he smuggled from the lab.

After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, Tony (carefully) throws the bunsen burner onto the bed and flops down next to it, with the full intention of resigning himself to the possibility that his stomach will soon start to eat itself in a desperate attempt of sustenance.

And then, just as suddenly as he lays down - he sits back up abruptly, blinks through the vertigo, and fumbles for the jacket closest to him because _neighbours._

He has neighbours, or rather people who live in adjoining dorm rooms and surely one of them must have the muscles required to open a jar?

He grabs the jar, belatedly pulling his hand away as the lid burns him; runs it under a cold tap to cool it slightly - and only just remembers to pocket his phone and room-key before he steps out of his room and begins his quest for a jar-opener.

 _Ma was right_ , he grouches as he knocks on the third door with little avail, _men were good for opening jars, maybe he does need a man after all._

He almost gives up at the fifth door, but then he hears shuffling on the other end of the door; so, he waits until it opens.

Standing on the other side of the door, bare-chested with his boxers hanging precariously on his hip; is the most _beautiful person_ that Tony has ever seen - and so he promptly loses all grasp of the english language and simply thrusts the jar his way.

The guy - _who has blue eyes_ Tony faintly notices - looks down at the jar, and then back at Tony with a raised eyebrow.

“Jar!” Tony says, resisting the urge to thump his head against the wall, “I mean, I have a jar!"

“I can see that” the guy replies in a gruff voice, but he looks amused, so not all hope is lost.

“Look I know it’s -” he looks down at his watch and gulps when he realises what time it is, “late, and I’m really sorry for waking you up but I’m really hungry so do you think you can help me out and open this jar?”

The guy looks at him for a couple more seconds and Tony is almost convinced that this is how he dies; but then he takes the jar from Tony and slips off the lid with one expert flick of a wrist.

He hands it back to Tony, and he has the unsettling feeling that the man is laughing at him; even though his expression hasn’t changed once.

“It wasn’t that easy when I tried,” Tony explains hurriedly, “I tried to loosen it with a bunsen burner and everything - because yknow, heat.”

Both eyebrows quirk up, “you didn’t try hot water like us normal people? You went straight for bunsen burner?”

“I’m -” Tony flails, “I’m really sleep deprived.”

“Yeah,” he huffs, “I was too until this cute brunet decided to break down my door at 5 in the morning."

Tony opens and closes his mouth several times before he finally settles on, “you think I’m cute?”

His eyes crinkle, and Tony counts that as a win, “yeah I do doll. So, do I get any of that nacho dip for my hard work?”

“I’ve got a variety of Doritos waiting back in my room,” Tony gestures behind him.

“Yeah let me just grab my phone and my keys,” he closes the door on Tony, and he uses those precious few seconds to comb his fingers through his hair to tame it and checks his face for any offending stains or marks or god forbid - drool.

“I’m Tony by the way,” he says just as the guy comes out and closes the door behind him, “so that you don’t have to call me jar guy or something equally embarrassing.”

“I’m Bucky,” he replies with a half-smile, “now - about those doritos?”

Tony blames it on his lack of sleep that he takes until they get back to his room to ask, “what the hell is a Bucky?”

_Fin_

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr saw it first](https://ad1thi.tumblr.com/post/613864022086959104/based-on-this-prompt-and-my-own-absolute-lack-of)   
>  [my twitter](https://twitter.com/desitonystark)   
> 


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